Revision 11 follower

[RCS]

There is a Winchester M1 Rifle s/n 2474505 on the CMP auction site, interesting is that the follower is a revision 11 with serifs. Only way to be certain is to find out if this rev 11 has bevels or not -

[GUTS]

That's weird RCS, I was going to put a picture of that on here last night but I couldn't make it work. The 11 on the CMP rifle is even staggered the same as the one on my rifle. By the way, I am going to be bidding on this one in the end. Do you think if we ask the CMP about the follower they will tell us? If not I will let us know if I win the auction.

[RCS]

I could be wrong, but think it is a SA follower with the "bevels" as it would be really interesting to view a revision 11 with serifs and without the bevels ! I sent them an email asking about the follower, if I receive a reply, will post it

Some of the advanced Winchester collectors that I have talked with state they have never seen a Winchester revision 11 follower - but that still does not mean there isn't one

[GUTS]

That also means my follower may not be a replacement.

[RCS]

Guts, the revision 11 follower in your Winchester, has it got the bevels or not ?

[GUTS]

Mine is definetly SA, it has bevels. I thought I read somewhere that revision 11 SA followers were found in a few supposedly original Winchesters in the 2.5 mil. range. I'm reaching for straws, I really want my follower to be original to the gun.

[Bob Seijas]

You have to be careful about drawing conclusions from a small sample, as unusual things occur. If you just happen to find one of the small number of rifles used in the regular parts interchangability tests you can be led down a false path. Just sayin'

[GUTS]

You are correct Sir! I get exited too easy I guess. Thanks Bob.

[RCS]

Bob Seijas might be right about the revision 11 follower but do not forget Scott Duff's WW2 Garand book has been out for a long time. Anyone doing a restoration (even minor) or just checking parts with Duff's book might just see that revision 11 follower in the late 2.4 serial number range and change it out for a revsion 11.

Another example is the SA follower arm from mid 1940 to late 1941, Duff's book has the single bevel follower arm from s/n 56745 (which has the flat back not the single bevel follower arm) to s/n 289048 which is not correct. The flat back follower arm (there are two variations) was first used in the late gas trap rifles and into 1941 - but this information was not available. There was a single bevel SA follower arm for a very short period before the flat back no bevel follower arm. Alot of SA rifles that were restored from this period have the single bevel follower as listed in his book - but they are Winchesters as Winchesters do not have the beveled legs. As I stated, the information was not available at that time.

[Bob Seijas]

You are right, Robert. Scott has often said that "Books are only a snapshot of what was known at the time." We learn new stuff all the time, some of which contradicts our previous notions. Still, Scott's books have held up remarkably well in the 20 years since he wrote the first one.